Cody Bradford, the local kid who took the mound in Game 4 of the ALCS
ARLINGTON (CBSNewsTexas.com) - Before he made his ALCS debut at Globe Life Field on Wednesday night Texas Rangers' pitcher Cody Bradford was pitching from the field at Aledo High School.
"He looked confident in his ability I think he looked like he was just focused he looked very similar to how he looked when he was on the mound when he was in high school here," said Coach Chad Barry, the head baseball coach at Aledo High School.
Coach Barry remembers what it was like to watch Bradford play not as a Texas Ranger, but as an Aledo Bearcat.
"The work ethic day after day he came and put in the time and effort to do the best he could do whether he was playing first base or pitching," said Coach Barry.
Coach Barry was in the crowd at Globe Life field on Wednesday night as Bradford and the Rangers took on the Houston Astros in game three of the ACLS.
"When he came out I was definitely holding my breath a little bit," said Coach Barry. "I mean I felt like almost like a little kid watching Nolan Ryan pitch or something because he was my childhood hero growing up."
But Bradford wasn't just a star on the baseball field. He excelled in the classroom too.
In fact, he was valedictorian of his graduating class.
"I taught Cody AP statistics and of course, he was very smart it came easy to him he was a hard worker, smart, analytical," said Mary McLellan, a math teacher at Aledo High School.
"I think his analytical nature really plays into his ability too, to be able to target exactly what he needs to focus on and exactly what he needs to work for," said McLellan.
McLellan can hardly contain her excitement seeing Bradford play on a national stage.
"I can't even tell you how excited I am and proud I am, I tell my students 'I taught him, I taught him, Cody's playing today'," said McLellan.
Barry and McLellan say Bradford's success is an inspiration to every single Aledo student both on and off the baseball field.
"It's possible you can play at the next level and if you put in enough hard work you can maybe play professional baseball for a living I think that gives them something to be very proud of," said Barry. "It makes a real connection with them because Cody, he was from Aledo he was one of us."
